Clearly, the retort's sentiment that astrology believers don't have to be treated as unintelligent or misguided is correct - although, it should be obvious why someone like Nikhil would be turned off by a date asking his zodiac sign. The idea of astrology predicting our fates is, after all, a preposterous one - how could the movements of stars in the night sky affect the course of our lives?
But if we entertain the notion that astrology holds some validity for personal growth, then why not take an Occam's Razor-esque approach and simply accept that Nikhil does not need to be viewed as a close-minded cynic? After all, everyone's experiences and interpretations of the world are different - and if Nikhil prefers to instead take responsibility for his own fate, regardless of what the stars might have to say about it, then good on him!
His original essay shows good humor and wit in his response, and we ought to respect that. So, let's not jump to conclusions and let Nikhil have the last laugh - as long as he makes sure to avoid dates with star-gazers, of course.